The Twins’ bats came alive in a 11-7 win over the Tigers Wednesday night in Detroit. Brian Dozier and Trevor Plouffe homered and Josh Willingham drove in three-runs with a pair of doubles. Nick Blackburn’s ERA blossomed to 8.37 after he allowed six runs in just two innings.
Joe Mauer jump-started Minnesota with an RBI double in the first inning, which was followed by an RBI double from Josh Willingham. Brian Dozier added a three-run homer in the the top of the second, boosting the Twins to a 5-1 lead.
The lead didn’t last, however, because Nick Blackburn gave it all, and some, right back. The Twins’ righthander allowed five runs in the bottom of the second inning, giving Detroit a 6-5 lead. Blackburn didn’t come back out for the third inning.
Minnesota’s bullpen pitched the final seven innings. Jeff Gray, Alex Burnett, Brian Duensing, Jared Burton and Glen Perkins combined to allow four hits and one run.
Meanwhile, the Twins tied the game at six on Ryan Doumit’s two-out, RBI single to center in the third inning. Detroit regained the lead, 7-6, on Miguel Cabrera’s run-scoring single in the fifth. Jamey Carroll then doubled home a pair of runs in the sixth to put the Twins up 8-7, giving them the lead for good.
Trevor Plouffe hit a two-run homer in the ninth — his second home run of the season.
